Car Rental & Driving

Car Rentals in Ukraine

ConditionsTo rent a car in Ukraine , you will need a valid driving license and a credit card.The major international brands have offices in Kiev city or at the airport as well as in major cities like Yalta, Ivano Frankovsk and other places. Renting a car is quite expensive in Ukraine. Some companies offer a discount if you book the car online, for example with Hertz you will get 5% off this way.

At Sixt, the cheapest rental is Daewoo Lanos starting at $56per day. Estate (combi) and minivan models are available as well. At Hertz, the cheapest rental is Ford Fiesta starting at 60 euro per day. Avis rates start from 35 euro per day for a car type Ford Fusion . Europcar offers Renault Clio from 35 euro per day.Important: Mobile Parking has been introduced by Kievytransparkservice.It is new innovative project for the citizens of Kiev, which allows to carry calculations of parking services of cars by mobile telephone.

At Smart:Rent-a-Car, the cheapest rental is Daewoo Matiz at 45 USD per day. Exclusive models such as Smart fortwo, New Beetle Cabrio and Mini Cooper are availiable from Smart:FUN collection.

Driving to Ukraine

Through Hungary (EU)

You will need to buy a sticker to use the motorways. Stickers are available for usually 2 weeks, 1 month or 1 year. There are no tolls on the roads in Hungary. The directions are well placed and easy to follow but going through Budapest can be lengthy. About 100 km before the border crossing Chop, the motorway ends but the road from there is in good condition. Fuel prices in Hungary are the same as in other EU countries. At the border in Chop there is efficient passport and customs control. You need a valid passport and the technical passport of your car.

Through Slovakia (EU)

You will need to buy a sticker to use the motorways here too. There are fewer motorways and you need to drive through narrow, twisting mountain roads so the trip can feel longer. Fuel prices are the same as in other EU countries. The directions are good so you won’t get lost. The border crossing Uzhgorod is usually busy and there are long waiting times. All cars are checked as there is no separate lane for EU cars.

Through Poland (EU)

You don’t need to buy a motorway sticker when entering Poland but you will have to stop and pay toll at the booths. They do not accept credit cards but you can pay with Euro. There are very good roads and motorways. The queues at the border with Ukraine are ok if you are entering Ukraine. We, however, recently experienced a very, very long wait to go from Ukraine to Poland and hadn’t we cheated in the queue and talked to one of the guards into preferential treatment, we could have spent ten hours there. With these mitigating circumstances it ‘only’ took us five hours to get through. The recommended border crossing is Przemysl which has a good road to Lvov, from Lvov you can continue to Rovne and further to Kiev.

Driving in Kiev and Ukraine

General rulesHave your documents in order and with you while you're driving. To go around Ukraine by car you'll have to purchase an environmental ticket when you cross the border. To drive somebody else's car you will need to get the authorization letter which can be done quickly at a notary office. The roads in Ukraine aren't the best ones. Coming to Ukraine by car is not a problem if you have all documents for the car and visa if needed.

There is zero Tolerance on alcohol when driving in Ukraine - so even one glasscould be an expensive mistake being stopped or involved into an accident. It is bligatory for both the driver and the passenger to wear selt belts.Children should always sit in the back, ideally in a special car seat or at least wearing seatbelts.

Traffic Fines

No seat belt or helmet, illegal crossing by pedestrians

51-85 UAH

Using cell phone, illegal overtaking, failure to observe distance

425-510 UAH

Speeding through a red light, illegal parking

510-680 UAH or 30-40hrs of social work or license confiscation for 6-12 months

Failing to stop at inspector's demand

153-187 UAH or license confiscation for 3-8 months

Fleeing after causing an accident

255-306 UAH or 30-40 hrs of public work or 10-15 days of arrest

Driving without driver's license or car insurance

340-425 UAH

Drunk driving, driving on drunks, refusal to take a blood test

2 250-3 400 UAH or license confiscation for 1-2 years or 40-50 hrs of social work or 7 days under arrest for first time offenders or license confiscation for 2-3 years for repeat offenders or 50-60 hrs of social work or 10-15 days of arrest for repeat offenders, license and car confiscation for 10 years if caught the 3rd time in one year

Parking in KievThe Kyivtransparkservice agency has announced that starting in February 2008, drivers will have to pay to park downtown. The closer they get to the center, the higher the price will be. The hourly parking rate will be 3, 5, and 7 Hryvnas depending on the area. Daily parking will cost 9,15 and 21 Hryvnas and monthly parking will amount to 126, 210 and 294 Hryvnas. This approach to Kiev’s crazy traffic situation will hopefully have a positive effect. The parking tickets will go on sale at kiosks in February. Fines increased and up to 5.000 driver's licenses have been withdrawn recently and traffic jams seem to have decreased.

When you get stoppedIn Ukraine there is zero tolerance for drink and drive. If you do drink and drive (why would you do that?) and get stopped you can try to get away with a bribe of 100 USD. With speed the standard is 20 UAH if it is 20-30 km more, and 30 UAH - for other. 50 UAH is a large fine - only if you start to quarrel or they chase you on the streets :-)